Business Essentials

If you forced yourself to do a six-hour workday, could you do it? Entrepreneur Steve Glaveski and his team gave it a go and discovered that in fact they could achieve all their goals in shorter days, which gave them more time to do the things they wanted. As a consequence, they lead happier and more fulfilling lives. Steve Glaveski has written about this in his book, Time Rich: do your best work,...

Your business has grown to a size that needs help with HR. You can’t justify employing HR within your ranks, so you might need to outsource the function. Ilona Charles, CEO of shilo.people, says If you’re hiring staff, you need to ensure the employment fundamentals are in place: contracts, payroll with relevant pay scales and awards, superannuation and insurance, and policies compliant...

If you communicate, you create and your left brain certainly gets a workout. Building a business is hard work, but taking time to be creative shouldn’t be overlooked. Samantha Parvin is Founder of Parvin Music, a licencing and consulting business that’s connects brands with some of the world’s best musical talent. Sam offers four tips to help grow your business and bring balance...

The amount of time and resources you spend building a new website is almost wasted if it doesn’t generate business leads. MC Carter, founder and director of online marketing agency, Practice Paradox, provides his six-step process in developing a lead-generation website. He says, it’s a regular and consistent ongoing commitment, but well worth the effort to grow business. Business Essen...

A confidentiality clause is one way to protect your business secrets from a departing employee. It helps of course to understand what your secrets are, says Paul Brennan, Principal at Brennans Solicitors. Paul guides us through what to do before heading to court. Business Essentials Daily is produced by: SoundCartel soundcartel.com.au +61 3 9882 8333 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informa...

Sue Barrett likens sales prospecting to maintaining a fitness regime: for best results you need to do it regularly and consistently, and not just when you feel like doing it. What stops us from picking up the phone to prospect is a fear of being rejected. Sue says you need to change your mindset and have a healthy belief that your sales is benefiting you and your potential customers. Business Esse...

The making of a high-performance team doesn’t always come easy, especially when feedback is a key part of the process. Gavin Mahony of Leading Teams says providing feedback is crucial to building resilience and peak performance. Business Essentials Daily is produced by: SoundCartel soundcartel.com.au +61 3 9882 8333 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There’s a sure way to discover new opportunities as you head out of lockdown – and that’s by collaborating with others. Don’t expect the old world, pre-pandemic, will return as normal. And don’t think you have to go it alone to solve the problems of the world. Frank Wyatt, Strategic Advisor at Enterprising Partnerships, facilitates round table discussions that have en...

As house prices continue their meteoric rise across the country, is now a good time to invest in property? Whether you’re a first-time investor or more established player, Nic Don of Odyssey Financial says you need to keep your emotions in check. He explains negative gearing, if location is important, and whether superannuation could and should be used to invest in property. Business Essenti...

In 2005, Rachael Robertson gave up the comforts of home to lead a team of fellow expeditioners to Antarctica. Her 12 months included managing a small group in the dark depths of an Antarctic winter. That experience and subsequent extensive research has shown that a focus on respect drives the highest performing teams. She outlines her thoughts in her new book, 'Respect Trumps Harmony: why being li...

Everyone deserves a break. So why, when an opportunity arises, does guilt become an issue for some managers or business owners? Mark LeBusque, Founder and Director of the Human Manager, says we should remove the last three letters from the word selfish, because everyone benefits and life is short. Business Essentials Daily is produced by: SoundCartel soundcartel.com.au +61 3 9882 8333 See omnystud...

Estate planning is one of those things we know we should do, but we never seem to get around to it. A big reason is not knowing when to start. Well, the very first thing you should do is buy lawyer Melisa Sloan’s book, ‘Legacy: Taking care of the most important people in your life when you are no longer here’. It’s a step-by-step guide on putting your house in order if you...

What type of salesperson gets the best results – and why? When it comes to selling, should you challenge your customers or try to develop strong, long-lasting relationships with them? What if you just work harder to get more sales? Tony Gattari, Managing Director and CEO of Achievers Group, says one of these sales methods gets the best results, in both simple sales and complex sales. Bu...

Self-managed super funds have become increasingly popular for Australians in recent years. If you have an SMSF, be careful – the ATO is turning up the regulatory heat. Tax expert, Michael Jones of Mazars, explains why the tax office is particularly concerned about those looking to exploit the concessional tax rate. Business Essentials Daily is produced by: SoundCartel soundcartel.com.au +61...

Beware of copycats looking to cash in on your success. You should consider protecting your business and its reputation with a trademark. Paul Brennan of Brennans Solicitors discusses the tricks and traps of trademark legislation. Business Essentials Daily is produced by: SoundCartel soundcartel.com.au +61 3 9882 8333 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Since COVID-19, online retail has seen its largest growth on record. For businesses, it’s never been easier to set up an online store. Kelly Slessor is a digital growth expert and founder of Shop You, a personalised virtual shopping mall based on AI technology.  Kelly has spent the last 20 years working with retailers, property groups, banks and media companies globally to develop their...

If you’re looking at alternative ways to grow your investment dollar in property, why not consider dual occupancy?  These days, there is more to dual occupancy than the stock-standard granny flat. Nic Don outlines the different motivations and strategies for dual occupancy investments at a time when local councils are making it easier for homeowners to subdivide. Business Essentials Dai...

Are you a procrastinator? If you have a long list of unfinished tasks, endless emails banked up in your inbox, or just can’t make decisions, you may well be inflicted with the procrastination bug. Business coach Les Watson says it can cripple business growth. But don’t fear – there are things you can do to overcome procrastination. The first step, he says, is acknowledging you su...

Without prior experience in the construction or travel industries, Tony Gattari, Managing Director at Achievers Group, managed to massively exceed the sales targets in his senior sales roles in recent years. No matter the industry, Tony applies five core principles when advising some of Australia’s leading companies and their sales teams. Business Essentials Daily is produced by: SoundCartel...

When you hear the sharemarket is at an all-time high, is it a good time to hold ’em, fold ’em, walk away or run? Investment guru, Greg Keady of APW Partners reckons the media’s a lot to blame by injecting emotional terms when reporting on the recurring ups and downs of the market. His advice is to stay focused and stick to your investment plan. Business Essentials Daily is produc...

If so much of our waking lives are at work or doing work, then doesn’t it make sense that we are fulfilled and enjoy the time we spend? Social researcher Mark McCrindle has conducted a survey on work wellbeing which he shares in a new book he co-wrote with fellow researcher, Ashley Fell. The title is: ‘Work Wellbeing: Leading thriving teams in rapidly changing times’. He outlines...

Is work-life balance really an achievable goal? Well not as it’s currently structured. Mark LeBusque, Founder & Director of The Human Manager, suggests that businesses think of it instead, as life design. A holistic approach that doesn’t separate work from life, since they're one and the same, but makes staff accountable, happier and more effective at both. Business Essentials Dail...

When we first spoke with Justin Dry five years ago, he was riding the proverbial wave of success with his start-up online wine retailer. Since then, Vinomofo has matured into a multimillion-dollar company with a growing focus on overseas expansion. How has he maintained the company’s ethos of “no BS and no bow ties” while expanding his mofo tribe? In Part 2 of the Vinomofo story,...

To join this club you have to make a pledge: “There is no right or wrong, there is only what I like and don’t like.” In 2011, in an industry full of pretention, Justin Dry and Andre Eikmeier founded an online wine community with down-to-earth ideals. By July 2016 Vinomofo had 450,000 members and set its sights on overseas markets. In this first part of the Vinomofo story, Justin...

As the vaccination rate among Australians increases, many businesses are considering what they can do to stay open. Can they mandate a ‘no jab, no job’ policy? Well, the law is not so clear, says Karen Gately, CEO of Corporate Dojo. Sure, there are valid reasons why a business owner would want to ensure their staff are fully vaccinated, but how should they address the issue with their...